Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts

tics: Cu ne rr e en G t y R r e a t s i

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e h Hossain, Hereditary Genet 2016, 5:1

H Hereditary Genetics DOI: 10.4172/2161-1041.1000162 ISSN: 2161-1041

Review Article Open Access

Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts: A Critical Study of Hereditary Genetics Amir Hossain* Department of English, IBAIS University, Bangladesh *Corresponding author: Amir Hossain, Department of English, IBAIS University, Bangladesh, Tel: +8801915908306; E-mail: [email protected] Rec date: Dec 28, 2015; Acc date: Feb 10, 2016; Pub date: Feb 15, 2016 Copyright: © 2016 Hossain A. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

In this research-work, I would like to focus on the impact of “Hereditary Genetics” in Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts through creating the characters of Captain Alving, Mrs. Alving, and Oswald. It highlights why Captain Alving is sexually attracted to his maid-servant, Johanna. Due to an illicit relation between Captain Alving and Johanna, Regina was born in the Alving heritage. In the context of the scientific study of genetics as well as heredity, this article shows how Oswald is affected by a venereal disease, ‘syphilis’ due to a sexual relation with his own half- sister, Regina. For this purpose, the researcher applies the theory of ‘heredity’, ‘genetics’, and ‘syphilis’ in the light of genetic science with a view to investigating the mystery of sexual enjoyment between master and maid-servant, as well as brother and sister. In fact, this paper aims to look at hereditary guilt of the 20th century Scandinavian bourgeois society.

Keywords: Captain Alving; Mrs. Alving; Oswald; Hereditary Theoretical Focus genetics; Syphilis Heredity Introduction Heredity is such a biological process through which particular Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts is one of the most criticized plays in the characteristics are transmitted from parents to their children. The history of English Literature. Ibsen wants to foster the gender concept of heredity encompasses two seemingly paradoxical discrimination through depicting the male and female characters in observations about organisms: the constancy of a species from the light of the 19th century Norwegian Bourgeois customs and values. generation to generation and the variation among individuals within a The playwright, as a self-conscious critic- cum -social reformer of his species. Constancy and variation are two aspects of the same coin, as age, unveils the grim image of the filthy atmosphere. In his play, he becomes clear in the study of genetics. Both aspects of heredity can be wants to expose the hollowness and falsity of conventional morality, explicated by genes, the functional units of heritable material that are particularly the hollowness of conventional bourgeois marriage and found within all living cells. Every member of a species has a set of family life. Ibsen shows the contemporary social issues: the hypocrisy genes specific to that species. It is such a set of genes which provides of family life, the subordinate and subservient status of women and the constancy of the species. Among individuals within a species, corruption in the familial, social, and communal affairs are considered however, variations can occur in the form of each gene takes, providing unorthodox of his day. The main antagonists who are faced with the genetic basis for the fact that no two individuals have exactly the conventions, hypocrisy, and sexual passion, and power, marriage of same traits. expedience, corrupted press, and vested interest are involved with Moreover, heredity is the passing on of characteristics from one hereditary guilt. In the play, Ghosts, Ibsen focuses the great stress upon generation to the next. It is the reason why offspring look like their the norms of hereditary guilt between father and son. He seriously parents. It also explains why cats always give birth to kittens and never studies the disordered human psychology and analyzes relentlessly the puppies. The process of heredity occurs among all living things common relationship between the two siblings and husband and wife. including animals, plants, bacteria, protists and fungi. The study of In this context, my research-work shows the sexual relationships heredity is called genetics and scientists who study heredity are called between Captain Alving and Johanna as well as Oswald and Regina as geneticists. Through heredity, living things inherit traits from their reflected in Ibsen’s Ghosts by applying the biological theory of parents. Traits are physical characteristics. You resemble your parents hereditary genetics. It also aims to look at the mystery of hereditary because you inherited your hair and skin color, nose shape, height, and guilt through the character-analysis of the protagonist, Mrs. Alving. other traits from them. In humans, eye color is an example of an Moreover, it focuses on the Freudian as well as Menckenian comments inherited characteristic: an individual might inherit the brown-eye trait concerning hereditary disease with a view to unveiling the sexual from one of the parents. Inherited traits are controlled by genes and relationships among male and female characters in the play, Ghosts. the complete set of genes within an organism’s genome is called its genotype [1]. Regarding heredity, professor Castle, in his recent book on “Heredity in Relation to Evolution and Animal Breeding,” has defined heredity as “organic resemblance based on descent.” The son resembles his father because he is a “chip off the old block.” It would be still nearer the truth to say that the son resembles his father because they

Hereditary Genet Volume 5 • Issue 1 • 1000162 ISSN:2161-1041 HGCR, an Open Access Citation: Hossain A (2016) Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts: A Critical Study of Hereditary Genetics. Hereditary Genet 5: 162. doi: 10.4172/2161-1041.1000162

Page 2 of 6 are both chips from the same block, since the actual characters of was worn, and affected more advanced communities with better parents are never transmitted to their offspring in the same way that hygienic standards, transmission by sex contact became the usual real estate or personal property is passed on from one generation to method of the spread of the disease. The fact is that the treponemes of another. When the son is said to have his father’s hair and his mother's syphilis and yaws are morphologically indistinguishable, that the same complexion it does not mean that paternal baldness and a vanishing blood test is positive in both diseases and both respond to the same maternal complexion are the inevitable consequences. treatment are points in favour of the theory of syphilis [3]. Biological inheritance is more comparable to the handing down from father to son of some valuable patent right or manufacturing Genetic and cultural effects in human behavior plant by means of which the son, in due course of time, may develop Human beings exhibit many important behavioral traits for which an independent fortune of his own, resembling in character and extent no candidate genes have been identified and for which the effects of the parental fortune similarly derived although not identical with it. So, individual genes are probably too small to detect with genetic linkage it comes about that “organic resemblance” between father and son, studies. For these traits, one measure of the overall importance of which appears between nephew and uncle or even more remote genetic factors is the broad-sense heritability, which is the ratio of the relatives, is due not to a direct entail of the characteristics in question, genotypic variance in the trait to the total phenotypic variance in the but to the fact that the characteristics are “based on descent” from a trait. common source. In other words, a “hereditary character” of any kind is not an entity or unit which is handed down from generation to Estimating the heritability of any human behavioral trait requires generation, but is rather a method of reaction of the organism to the that special attention be given to cultural transmission of non-genetic constellation of external environmental factors under which the factors that potentially affect the behavior. These familial factors organism lives. increase the resemblance between relatives, and, unless properly taken into account, they inflate the apparent genetic heritability. Most To unravel the golden threads of inheritance which have bound us conventional genetic studies of human behavior are biased in which all together in the past, as well as to learn how to weave upon the loom they include cultural transmission in the estimation of heritability, of the future, not only those old patterns in plants and animals and treating the situation as though cultural differences were genetic in men which have already proven worthwhile, but also to create new origin [4]. organic designs of an excellence hitherto impossible or undreamed of, is the inspiring task before the geneticist today [1]. If we apply the above mentioned theory of “Genetics and Cultural Effects in Human Behaviour” in Ibsen’s Play, Ghosts, we will realize If the above mentioned biological theory of “Heredity” of Castle is that Oswald has inherited his father, Captain Alving’s behavioral traits. applied to Ibsen’s Play, Ghosts, then we will easily learn that the The effects of his father’s genes are influenced by his own son. The outcome of father’s sinful and immoral act revisit his own son. cultural transmission of non-genetic factors affects their behaviours, Through analyzing the whole story, we will be able to prove hereditary for which these familial factors increase the resemblance between guilt. It may be clearly expressed that father falls a tragic victim of father and son. At the time of sexual relation with Johanna, the syphilis due to an illicit relation with his maid-servant, and later his behaviours, which Captain Alving showed, Oswald, similarly, showed own son also fall victim of syphilis because of unknowingly making a the same traits when he makes a sexual relation with Regina. In this physical relation with his own sister. At one stage, it is found that both way, this theory makes us indicate Genetic and Cultural Effects in the father and son fall victim of syphilis; and both of them die prematurely. behaviours of both father and son. In this way, we will discuss the whole fact through applying the biological theory of “Hereditary Genetics” in the next section. Sexual Relationship between Captain Alving and Moreover, now this scientific study highlights the venereal disease, Johanna namely “syphilis.” At first, I will let you know the original theory of syphilis in a very brief way and then, it will expose how father and son An analysis of the play, Ghosts supports Belsey’s idea that patriarchy have been affected by a venereal disease, ‘syphilis’ as well- constructed has imposed control over female sexuality, and has excluded women in Ibsen’s play, Ghosts. from state power and has made their position in the family “inconsistent” [5]. The other common theme that runs through the Syphilis play is the silencing of female sexual individualism to guarantee patriarchy the power it desperately seeks. Power and sexuality [6] are Syphilis was defined by Stokes as an infectious disease; due to inextricably connected in the play, Ghosts introduces a female Treponema pallidum; of great chronicity; systematic from the outset; character where Johanna is not appeared on the stage. She is capable of involving practically every structure of the body in its pronounced through the dramatic dialogue between Pastor Manders course; distinguished by florid manifestations on the one hand and and Mrs. Alving. Mrs. Alving, the protagonist, mentions about years of completely asymptomatic latency on the other; able to Johanna while disclosing her husband’s immoral activities to Pastor stimulate many diseases in the fields of medicine and surgery; Menders. Mrs. Alving states that her husband had a strong physical transmittable to offspring in man; transmittable to certain laboratory attraction towards women in the society. Johanna, working as a maid animals; and treatable to the point of presumptive cure [2]. servant at the Alving Heritage, fell victim to sexual bondage and found herself in the clutches of Captain Alving. She tells Pastor Manders There are two theories concerning the origin of syphilis. Some about her husband’s unsocial behavior that she would live with Captain believe that it first appeared in the tropics as a primitive treponemal Alving despite his masochism. Mrs. Alving saw on the sly that he was disease, usually transmitted by chance contact between individuals, greatly attracted towards Johanna. One day she observed the illicit especially children, and thus closely resembling the tropical sexual affair from the dining room. At that time she was working very treponematoses of the present day, such as yaws. The suggestion is that nearly. Standing at the door, she heard her own servant whisper: “Stop as the disease spread to more temperate climates, where more clothing

Page 3 of 6 it, Mr. Alving! Let me go!” [7] She felt very much pain on hearing their Pastor Manders. Mrs. Alving’s view of her husband can be explained conversation. In this way, their physical relationship began to develop also by following Belsey’s idea that the manifestation of female slowly. At one stage his physical union with Johanna got deepened. sexuality is considered as a threat to the masculine social order. Johanna had no power to protest against her master where she was Certainly, Ibsen wants to show Captain Alving as a careless person, subjected to sexual exploitation. She did not get rid of his immoral with no great love for his family. He showed no concern for his wife. deeds. Actually, Johanna has been shown as a disenfranchised woman Though “society would consider him as one of its pillars”; he is, in fact, of her age, and did not get any help from society, where she was “a dissolute” [7], a drunkard, a libertine and a rakish. Even he did not confined to the cocoon. She had been totally victim of the aggressive hesitate to seduce his maid-servant. He was a violator of social law and nature of Captain Alving and inhumanly exploited and tormented order. He had no shame of the family. He was a masochistic type of through sexual violence and rape. We can realize about the sexual person. From social point of view, we sense that no sensible being can behavior and immoral deeds of Captain Alving through Johanna’s tolerate such types of immoral activities and forbidden attractions of voice: “Let me go, Engstrand! Stop it! I’ve been in service for three Captain Alving in any civilized manner. In fact, Ibsen has exposed the years with Chamberlain Alving at Rosenvold, and don’t you forget it!” social realities of day’s custom and manner. Through the character of [7]. Mr. Alving, Ibsen has exposed the 19th century Scandinavian life structure, culture, community, and society. If anyone attends to the It is crystal apparent that Johanna had been acting both as a mistress deeper ideas and thoughts of his filthy personality, I think, he would, and a maid- servant in the Alving Heritage. She never forgot that undoubtedly, realize the inner truth why Captain Alving had got Captain Alving had made a chamberlain when she had been working involved into the sexual activities with the maid servant. Then the for him. Captain Alving succeeded in having incestuous relationship mystery might be conceptualized in the inner psychology. The physical with the maid servant. When she became pregnant, Mrs. Alving demand what Captain Alving had expected from Mrs. Alving was not persuaded Engstrand to get married Johanna by giving him three satisfactory. Actually, his wife failed to fulfill the physical and mental hundred dollars due to social humiliation, and Engstrand also accepted attraction of her husband. Therefore, we may sense that such types of the chance albeit it was a hideous crime from the social point of view. unexpected incidence might happen in any human society. Even But Mrs. Alving conceals the sinful acts of her husband so that her though Captain Alving is condemned from the social and moral only son Oswald cannot fall victim of dreadful circumstances. In this perspective, but I think, Mrs. Alving is no less responsible for the play, Johanna has been mentioned as a “degenerate” [7] character. This sexual relationship between Captain Alving and Johanna. In female character has been presented in front of us with a view to accordance with the balance of Justice, both husband and wife may be focusing on the inner faults and vices of Mr. Alving’s personality. In equally punished. Regarding the character of Captain Alving, Mrs. this way, we can be able to realize the forbidden attractions between Alving also tells Pastor Manders: the master and the maid servant through Ibsen’s creating the off stage scenes and characters [8]. I had to fight, day after day, to keep it secret. After Oswald was born, I thought, things became a little better with Alving. But, it didn’t last The following speeches of Catharine Mackinnon are also very long. And, now I had to fight a double battle, fight with all my strength pertinent to this paper. Mackinnon argues that sexuality constitutes to prevent anyone knowing what kind of a man my child’s father was. gender. In other words, there is no alienation between the concepts of And, you know what a winning personality Alving had. No one could gender and sexuality; male and female do not exist outside of the believe anything but good of him. He was one of those people whose eroticization of dominance and subordination. As Mackinnon (1982) reputations remain untarnished by the way they live [7]. comments as follows: In this way Captain Alving’s dirty personality is revealed through Sexuality, then, is a form of power. Gender, as socially constructed Mrs. Alving`s dialogue. We can assume that Captain Alving is the embodies it, not the reverse. Women and men are divided by gender, embodiment of the 19th century Norwegian bourgeois patriarchy made into the sexes as we know them, by the social requirements of through whom Ibsen has unveiled the corrupted aspects of hereditary heterosexuality, which institutionalize male sexual dominance and disease, syphilis. In fact, Captain Alving faces a victim of venereal female sexual submission. If this is true, sexuality is the linchpin of disease, syphilis due to making a sexual relation with his maid-servant, gender inequality [9]. Johanna for which he has to lose his life prematurely [8]. If we consider the fatal circumstances of poor Johanna, we can In the play, Ghosts Ibsen has linked the theme of “the Joy of Life” [7] acknowledge that this is a powerful argument. Sexuality is viewed as a with that of incestuous relationship between men and women of his primary form of oppression of women, or just one form of oppression age. In fact, the playwright has hinted at the male domination and among others. Thus, the sexual dominance of Captain Alving and the female bondage of the society and an illegitimate birth through sexual submission of Johanna may be applied by the judgments of hereditary guilt. He does not attack mankind, but, the behavior of man Mackinnon. It is, however, agreed by many feminists that women need lacks in reason and morality. Man often wears the cloth of reason and far greater control over their own bodies and their sexuality. Moreover, morality but, when he gives up that garb, he is nothing but a brute. Ibsen has unveiled the conflict and struggle for existence of his Thus, the researcher sheds a new light over brutality, immorality, contemporary feminism. These types of characters, in the field of irrationality, hypocrisy and above all, sexual oppression and bondage literature, have possessed a remarkable place in his major prose plays, in the light of hereditary genetics. where the playwright has emphasized on female oppressions and entangled relationships of different thread through impacting upon an identity of genuflected livelihood. Sexual Relationship between Oswald and Regina In the play, Ghosts, we do not see Captain Alving on the stage. But, This research-work throws light on Regina’s physical glamour as we can realize about his nature and behavior from the dialogue of Mrs. well as a profound sexual relationship between half-brother and half- Alving while commenting his immoral and sinful character with sister. In the play, Ghosts Regina is minor female character. Although

Page 4 of 6 she seems to be trivial in comparison with the main female character, Mrs. Alving’s Struggle Against “Hereditary Guilt” Mrs. Alving, but Regina is not at all negligible under the over-all consideration of many critics and scholars. The complex sexual Mrs. Alving is a protagonist in the play, Ghosts. Through this relationship in the play, Ghosts can be seen in the incidents through character, Ibsen wants to show the unexpected truth of the bourgeois getting involved Oswald and Regina. In the first part of Act I, We find society of his age. Mrs. Alving is the round character. Through Mrs. Regina who seems to be around 23 years old, appear as a physically Alving, the research-work will investigate the mystery of the hereditary and psychologically strong young woman, determined and optimistic, guilt between father and son, where I will try show how hereditary high ambitious, and convinces that she has a stay in Paris ahead genetics dominated on father as well as son through a venereal disease, together with Oswald, the son in the Alving Heritage where she herself “syphilis.” Due to this venereal disease, both of them fall victim of a has been brought up [10]. In fact, she is an illegitimate daughter of tragic downfall. Captain Alving. The Captain had a sexual relationship with a maid Mrs. Alving locks up all the repressive mental suppressions and servant of his wife, and this Regina is the product of illicit affair. But, conflicts. Instead of getting rid of the exorcism. She, following the she does not know her own mysterious truth. She knows that she is the advice of Pastor Manders, the personification of false, conventional daughter of lazy, inactive, inferior minded carpenter Engstrand, and stupid respectability, sends her son Oswald to school away from him, whom she scorns through words like. “Alright, now, get out of here. I’m and assiduously nurtures the myth of her husband as a noble and not going to stand around, having rendezvous with you” [7]. In the worthy figure, presumably suffering all the while in silence bitter first act of the play, Mrs. Alving sees that Regina is very much attracted agonies of shame and frustration. But now, on her husband’s death, she towards Oswald. She is not at all hesitated to connive at him. Mrs. wants to free herself of hereditary guilt by all means. She wants to set Alving sees the presence of both of them in the dining room. Oswald up an orphanage with the Captain’s money, on the one hand to pacify tries to grasp Regina. From the dining room, she hears the crash of a any rumors, there may be of her husband’s immoral, sinful life. Mrs. chair being knocked over. At the same time, Regina says sharply, but Alving sees the stranglehold of her “dissolute” husband on herself even keeping her low voice: “Oswald! Are you mad? Let me go!” [7] Regina after his death in Oswald’s preference for the unconventional joys of starts distraughtly at the half open door. Oswald coughs, and begins to life. However, she gets rid of her superstitions regarding duty and hum. Mrs. Alving thrills in fear. She observes the prenatal existence of decency and braces herself to make a new beginning only to be her own husband’s and Regina’s mother in the relationship between crushed by the terrible denouement that her son has contracted Oswald and Regina. At one stage, Mrs. Alving supports this profound venereal disease “syphilis” as an inheritance from his father. Mrs. sexual relationship by breaking all sorts of conventional reformation. Alving’s growth and development constitutes one of the strongest Oswald feels that his salvation lies in Regina’s physical glamour which appeals of hereditary guilt. We know her identity when she is a middle is full of vitality and joy of life. He wants to go away from home taking aged woman; her heart battered and lacerated, tries desperately to face Regina with him. He would like to work again with a new lease of life the truth without any false trammels. She discovers in less than a year and fresh energy painting: “Light and sunshine and holiday – and of married life that her husband was a rake and a libertine. She, then, shining, contented faces” [7]. He is afraid of remaining at home with fled from him, took refuge with the clergyman and intimate family his mother, where all his instincts should be warped into ugliness. But, friend, Pastor Manders and refuted to go back to Captain Alving. But, when Regina understands her true relation with Oswald, She decides the Pastor sent her back to her husband, telling her, “... a wife is not to to leave the Alving Heritage. She, apparently, declares that there can be her husband’s judge. It is your duty to bear with humility the cross never be anything serious between them. She is not going to stay out at which a Higher Power has, for your own good, laid upon you” [7]. Mrs. the Alving’s home in the country and wear herself out looking after Alving goes back and keeps home for about two decades for a invalids. Regina feels the awakening of joy of life in her, but, it is the joy “dissolute” husband, persuaded by Manders to shoulder the yoke, of of her mother’s kind, a sullied joy. The values which are deeply rooted what he calls Duty and Obligation. But, now twenty years later, she for so long in her soft heart, is now devastated like a turbulent storm of confesses to Manders that her whole soul has rebelled against that as heredity. In this regard, Regina says: “If Oswald takes after his father, I something “loathsome.” Her appreciation of the role of joy in one’s life should not be surprised but what I’ll take after my mother” [7]. She sets her apart from the stereotyped character of a harassed, duped wife. decides to go to the “Sailor’s Home” a euphemism for a brothel. Mrs. Alving’s quest for life and joy adds an extra dimension to her Obviously, Ibsen seems to suggest that Regina has no option but to character and lifts her from merely being a vehicle for the debunking of succumb to the combined forces of hypocritical, moral codes and traditional values. From the above point of view, we sense that Captain heredity which act as her fate. “What must be must be,” [7] what she Alving had imposed power and domination on Johanna, and had says in a bitter-sweet resigned speech. We see that Regina’s struggle for excluded her from social right and responsibility. Finding no other freedom from sexual bondage does not succeed in any true sense. alternative way, Johanna had been compelled to follow the path of Ibsen wants to hint at the shining and existing unsubstantial false prostitution. Ibsen wants to show sexual bondage and subordination of trammels, social values and the impact of heredity jointly on which his age through portraying the two minor characters, including- Regina’s fate is controlled. The physical relationship between Regina Johanna and Regina [12]. and Oswald may be supported because they did not know their secret siblings. In fact, Oswald wants to get rid of his venereal attack through In Act II, Mrs. Alving tells Manders that she must work her way out Regina’s love and mental satisfaction is contained in her love, affection to freedom. She regrets her past cowardice and would like to be free of and physical relation. But in the long run, Oswald does not save her “superstitions awe for Duty and Decency.” And, here at this point himself from hereditary guilt. Regina is a victim of cruel fate. For her Ibsen links the theme of “the joy of life” with the incestuous livelihood, she is compelled to follow her mother’s business. Thus, the relationship male and female. Mrs. Alving sees that Oswald is attracted researcher focuses on the sexual relationship between Oswald and by Regina, who, unbeknown to him, happens to be his half-sister. She Regina by applying the biological theory of hereditary genetics as feels that joy is an important creed of life and she longs to say to her stated above [11]. son: “Marry her, or make what arrangement you please, only let us have nothing understand about it” [7]. Mrs. Alving has traveled a long

Page 5 of 6 way mentally from her earlier stage of blindly and docilely adhering to Manders : Yes, but there’s an expression at the corner of his mouth, hypocritical canons of conventional morality, but in actual life, she is something about his lips, that reminds me so vividly of Alving at any still unable to say those words to her son. She is still “pitiful coward”, rate now then he’s smoking. and she, unerringly, diagnoses the reason for her cowardliness. She is Mrs. Alving: How can you say that? Oswald has much more the timid because she cannot get rid of hereditary guilt that haunts her mouth of a clergyman, I think. mind. And, in one of the most moving, important, theoretically effective and revealing speeches of the play. Mrs. Alving elaborates in Manders: True, True. Some of my colleagues have a similar answer to a query of Pastor Manders: expression [7]. Ghosts! When I hear Regina and Oswald in there, I seem to see From their conversation, Ibsen, with his dramatic technique, wants Ghosts before me. I almost think, we’re all of us Ghosts, Pastor to shed a new light over the physical attraction between Mrs. Alving Manders. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and and Pastor Manders in terms of their same physical appearance, mother that ‘walk’ in us. It’s all sorts of dead ideas, and lifeless old especially mouth and lips of Pastor Manders and Oswald. Thus, I have beliefs, but they cling to us all the same; and we can’t get rid of them. tried to apply the biological theory of hereditary genetics through the Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts gliding between character- analysis of Mrs. Alving [12]. the lines. There must be Ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sand of the sea. And, then, we are one and all, so pitifully afraid of the Freudian and Menckenian Views on “Hereditary light [7]. Disease” Mrs. Alving sees the hereditary guilt too clearly when she discovers Regarding ‘Hereditary Disease,’ Freud argues that congenital that though she does not want Oswald to inherit a single penny from ‘variation of the sexual constitution’ upon which the greatest height the purchase money Captain Alving had paid for her, all her sacrifice falls but the existence may be easily understood and can be established does not save Oswald from the poisoned heritage of his father. She through the later manifestation. The variation of the original learns soon enough that her beloved boy has inherited a terrible disposition must lead to the formation of an abnormal sexual life. One disease from his father, as a result of which he will never again be able calls these ‘degenerative’ and considers them as an expression of to work. She also finds out that, for all her freedom, she has remained hereditary deterioration. In more than half of the severe cases of in the clutches of hereditary guilt, and that she has fostered in Oswald’s hysteria, compulsion neurosis etc. which Freud has treated through the mind an ideal of his father, the more terrible because of her own psychotherapy that their fathers have gone through an attack of loathing for the man. She realizes her fatal mistake. Indeed, a crime on syphilis before marriage they have either suffered from tabs or which the sacred institution is built, and for which thousands of generasis, or there is a definite history of lues. The children, who are innocent children must pay with their happiness and life, while their later neurotic, show absolutely no signs of hereditary lues so that the mothers continue to the very end without learning how hideously abnormal sexual constitution can be the last off-shoot of the luetic criminal their life is. Mrs. Alving who works herself out of to the truth; heredity. It is from Freudian thought to put down a descent from even to the height of understanding the dissolute life of the father of syphilitic parents as a regular and indispensable etiological her child, who lives in cramped provincial surroundings, and finds no determination of the neuropathy constitution. The hereditary relation purpose in life, no outlet for his exuberance. It is through Oswald, of the positive perverts is not known because they know how to evade which becomes illumed to her. Mrs. Alving struggles and suffers inquiry. The perversions and psycho neurosis in the different sexes of mightily and in her travail affirms the greatness of human spirit [13]. the same family are so distributed that the male members or one of In this regard, Northam’s comment on Mrs. Alving can be mentioned: them, is a positive pervert, while the females are negative perverts or Mrs. Alving at last has been freed from the gloom of ignorance hysterics [14]. Regarding ‘syphilis’, H. L. Mencken’s comment may be induced by convention. She sees with dreadful clarity the consequences projected in this regard: a woman who continues to cohabit with a of her subservience to public opinion. Her freedom is cheerless, but, syphilitic husband may expect to have defective children; that a she is at last aware of stark reality, even though her awareness is neurotic and lascivious woman is apt to be horrified when she finds achieved through tragedy... Mrs. Alving imagines herself to be that she is pregnant; that the world is barbarously cruel to a woman enlightened enough to exorcise the Ghosts of the past actions; but, she who has violated the seventh commandment or a man who has comes at length to know the complete irrevocability of deeds done long violated the Eighth [15]. ago [12]. Thus Freudian and Menckenian concept concerning the venereal Mrs. Alving, like a true tragic protagonist, perceives truth at last disease can be applied in the play, Ghosts, where we see that heredity is through the irreparable wreck of her present life. As her world an important issue of the same family. collapses, she becomes aware of the utter superficiality of her earlier ‘Syphilis’ is a hereditary disease which stands for poison in relation view that she might someday live as though the past had never been. It to sexual life. It has had poisonous effect upon Captain Alving and is through her abandonment of all hopes that she comes to terms with Oswald. Society considers Alving as one of its pillars though he is “a life. When she first notices the physical change in Oswald, she shrieks, dissolute,” a drunkard, “a degenerated,” “a libertine” and a “rakish” but soon she controls her shrieks and stares at the horrible scene in person. The sexual attraction of Captain Alving makes a permanent complete silence. She accepts the inevitable. Moreover, sexual impression upon Oswald at the age of seven. In Paris, Oswald lives a relationship between Pastor Manders and Mrs. Alving before her bright and happy life among the comrades, but according to him that is marriage is also manifested through their dialogue. Mrs. Alving had a too much for his strength, and he is incurably ruined for life by his sexual relation with Pastor Manders that we can realize through their own heedlessness. At the end of the first act scene, Oswald appears dialogue: “smoking a big meerschaum pipe” [7] looking like a dead image of his Mrs. Alving: Oh, how can you say that? Oswald takes after me. father, and he makes a pass at Regina and presumably, tries to grab and

Page 6 of 6 kiss her, recreating for Mrs. Alving the ghosts [16] of the past from the hereditary guilt remains complicated as Ibsen shows that it is in the “conservatory” – her husband and their maid. Thus, Ibsen shows the very nature of man that he cannot resolve the conflict between effect of syphilis as a hereditary disease leading to the softening of the salvation and morality, individual sexual impulse and social son’s brain at the age of 20, or for the father’s promiscuous living before responsibility. Ibsen has created a permanents impression of a middle or about the time of the child’s birth is medically untenable. Ibsen’s class society upon which hereditary guilt remains unchanged. The text, Ghosts is not only about syphilis but also about the consequences of Ghosts continues to evoke wider interest because the complex human predicament “about the cause of some kinds of suffering, and portrayal of the discourse of hereditary guilt remains central concerns its relationship to moral responsibility.” Oswald is attacked by an in today’s societies as well. ancestral curse namely syphilis. He says to his mother in accordance with his doctor’s comment: “The sin of the father is visited upon the References children” [7]. Both Captain Alving and Oswald have been affected by venereal disease. Consequently, both of them fall victim to tragic 1. Walter HE (1913) Genetics-An introduction to the study of hereditary. downfall. On the other hand, Johanna and Regina, following no other New York: The Macmillan Company. alternative way, find livelihood in prostitution. Through plot- 2. Stokes JH, Beerman H, Ingraham NR (1945) Modern Clinical Syphilology. (3rdedn) Philadelphia and London: W.B. Saunders. construction, dramatic technique, and art of characterization, my research-work draws a new light over hereditary genetics of human 3. King A, Nicol C (1975) Venereal Disease (3rdedn) London: Bailliere Tindall. society. 4. Hartl DL, Jones EW (1998) Genetics: Principles and Analysis (4thedn) This suggestion seems to be that Oswald is fore doomed “worm- Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Canada. eaten” from his birth. His physical relationship with his half-sister, 5. Belsey Catherine (1985) The subject of tragedy: Identity and difference in Regina has brought about a dreadful change not for his own tragic end renaissance drama. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. but for the whole Alving Heritage. The sinful incestuous union and 6. Kemp S (1997) “Sexuality,” in Feminism. Oxford and New York: Oxford rakish behavior of his father has influenced Oswald to a greater extent. University Press. Ibsen’s Ghosts is about human predicament which is almost archetypal 7. Kushwaha (1987) Ibsen’s Ghosts. Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi: namely a situation of bondage or confinement and man’s struggle for Mcmillan India Ltd. freedom from hereditary guilt. Ibsen’s purpose is to expose hypocrisy, 8. Chowdhury K (2006) Ghosts in Ibsen-er Natok-O-Kobita. Selina Hosain, Dhaka: Mowla Brothers. stigma, false trammels, incestuous relationship between men and women, and upsetting of the apple-cart of the traditional values of the 9. Freedman J (2002) “Sexuality and Power,” Feminism. New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata: Viva Books Private Ltd. 19th century bourgeois custom and order. He is outraged by the 10. Moen RL (2006) “From Regina to Hild: A study in Ibsen’s youngest hypocritical behavior of Norwegian society which has first indulged female characters,” in the living Ibsen proceedings – The 11th and idolized him and, then, has turned malignantly on him. He feels International Ibsen Conference, Oslo: University of Oslo Press. that such behavior deserves punishment; he knows how to inflict on 11. Shaw GB (1966) The Quintessence of Ibsenism. New York: Hill and the society. Ibsen also directs his attitude against the emptiness and Wang, Inc. carelessness of male members of the society. 12. Chowdhury K (1978) “Ibsen’s Ghosts: A brief critical study”, The Dacca University Studies. Dacca: Dacca University. Conclusion 13. Goldman E (1914) The Significance of The Modern Drama. Boston: The Gorham Press. In conclusion, we can assume that the issues of heredity and 14. Brill AA (1963) The basic writings of sigmund freud. New York: Random genetics cannot be separated in the play, Ghosts, where an incestuous House, INC. relationship between master and maid-servant as well as brother and 15. Mc Farlane, James W (1962) “Revaluation of Ibsen,” in discussions of sister becomes an issue around which the clash of hereditary guilt Henrik Ibsen. Boston: D.C. Health and Company. revolves. Mrs. Alving’s ‘complexities’ make her falter as she fights with 16. Rem T (2006) “Afterword to Ghosts,” in said about Ibsen – by Norwegian the ghosts of hereditary disease for power and possession of her only Writers. Robert Ferguson, Oslo: Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs son, Oswald and of the whole Alving Heritage. The question of and Gyldendal Norsk. Forlag.

Hereditary Genet Volume 5 • Issue 1 • 1000162 ISSN:2161-1041 HGCR, an Open Access